Volkswagen's Quality-Control Chief Resigns
February 08 2016 - 9:00AM
Dow Jones News
BERLIN—Volkswagen AG said Monday its head of quality assurance
will leave the company, as Chief Executive Matthias Mü ller
continues to shake up the company's senior management in the wake
of its emissions-cheating scandal.
Frank Tuch, 48 years old, was appointed in 2010 by former CEO
Martin Winterkorn, who resigned in September after U.S. regulators
disclosed that Volkswagen had rigged diesel engines to cheat on
emissions tests.
Mr. Tuch was among a group of Volkswagen executives who were
suspended when Volkswagen launched its investigation of the
emissions-cheating affair last year, according to people familiar
with the matter, but he hasn't been charged with any
wrongdoing.
Volkswagen said he resigned to pursue other interests.
He wasn't immediately available for comment.
Volkswagen said Mr. Tuch will be replaced by Hans-Joachim
Rothenpieler, a board member at the company's commercial vehicle
division in charge of technical development, effective Feb. 15.
Mr. Rothenpieler, 58 years old, will report to Mr. Mü ller.
The changes come as Mr. Mü ller carries out a sweeping
restructuring of the company's top management, streamlining the
management board and sharply reducing the number of executives who
report to him directly.
Those who continue to report to the CEO now have a more narrowly
defined strategic role. Decisions related to operations at the
company's 12 brands are increasingly delegated to the brand
management, allowing Mr. Mü ller and his leaner board to focus on
larger strategic questions and enable faster decision making at the
individual brands.
Mr. Rothenpieler will be succeeded by Harald Ludanek, 57 years
old, as board member in charge of technical development at
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
Write to William Boston at william.boston@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 08, 2016 08:45 ET (13:45 GMT)
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